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VOA to halve offices after budget cuts

The Valuation Office Agency, part of HM Revenue and Customs,
has recently confirmed plans to close half of its offices by 2023 after budget
cuts.

The Valuation Office Agency currently consists of 52 offices
spread throughout the UK and is responsible for the maintenance of Rating Lists,
which set the value for business rates. The business rates system currently
generates £26bn annually.

According to one report: “The Valuation Office
Agency, part of HM Revenue & Customs, is planning to shut down 26 of its 52
offices by 2023 and focus its presence in big cities. It is also cutting 1,000
staff by 2021 more than 25 per cent of its workforce.

The VOA
on Monday confirmed the details of the shake-up, which a leading property
adviser branded as a “shambles”.